Cost: $400 Additional Discount: 10% for family and friends participating together The foundation is arguably the most important part of a structure, as it determines how that structure interfaces with the earth (it’s also very difficult to change a foundation later, after a building sits on top of it!). There are many different types of foundations, and we want to focus on some systems that are simple, time-tested, and effective. We will be constructing a foundation for the building that the…

Cost: $950 Additional Discount: 10% for family and friends participating together You will leave this course ready to take on your own project. We will cover all of the aspects of natural construction with both hands-on learning and discussion, from foundation through roof. Our two spring 2018 immersion classes will focus on creating a kitchen building for our campus, so that it’s ready for our apprentice group to use in May. Our two fall 2018 immersion classes will construct a…

Dates: April 23 – April 27, 2018 Location: Keystone Heights, Florida   Come and join us in Florida for our Introduction to Cob Workshop! We will be constructing a small cob cottage. A perfect project for beginners and experts alike! This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with cob and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in cob building fundamentals. We will be constructing cob walls…

Now that the straw bales are up, you need to know how to protect them from weather, fire, and animals. Clay plasters are usually the best option for base coat plasters, and often for finishes as well. Learn to assess the suitability of a clay soil and develop the best plaster recipe. We will prepare the bale walls for plaster and mix and apply plasters in different ways, with and without mechanical assistance. We will also learn about lime-based plasters…

LOCATION Guatapé, Colombia is one of the most beautiful, serene, appreciated and well-known areas of central Colombia. Only one hour from the well-known and vibrant cultural center of Medellín, it has an altitude of 2000m and a year-round consistent climate ranging from 60F to 75F. This area of Colombia is very rich in fruits and vegetables and characterized by a lush, green vegetation cover, with giant bamboo (guadua) and ever-present ochre, sienna and multi-colored clays used in the traditional construction…

Have you been wanting to get your hands in the mud for some much needed natural building experience? Are you ready to take the leap into the world of clay and straw? Do you have burning questions that you would love to have answered? In this course, you’ll get hands-on experience stomping and sculpting cob, building light clay straw walls, and mixing and applying various natural plasters. In addition, we’ll tour several unique natural homes in the local community. If you’ve…

Dates: May 28 – June 1, 2018 Location: Keystone Heights, Florida   Come and join us in Florida for our Introduction to Cob Workshop! We will be constructing a small cob cottage. A perfect project for beginners and experts alike! This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with cob and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in cob building fundamentals. We will be constructing cob walls…

Earliest Bird: $350 (90 days advance payment) Early Bird: $400 (30 days advance payment) Regular Rate: $450 Additional Discount: 10% for family and friends participating together Plastering + painting is often the final touch of any natural building project, and it’s like putting the icing on the cake. It’s one of the greatest transformations, seeing a space go from looking like a work site to looking finished and beautiful. We aim to provide a solid understanding of the basics of…

This workshop is focused on hands-on building and learning with natural materials. Our project is the construction of a timber framed outdoor kitchen, with a cob wall supporting the counter-top. We will spend our mornings learning carpentry and building the roof structure with wood. Our afternoons will focus on cob building and finishing cob with earth and lime plasters. There will also be opportunities to explore straw bale building and earth floors. As well as explore the existing natural buildings…

Earliest Bird: $170 (90 days advance payment) Early Bird: $210 (30 days advance payment) Regular Rate: $250 Additional Discount: 10% for family and friends participating together This will be a full weekend of natural building: mostly hands-on work, coupled with a photo presentation and discussion. We are beginning a very ambitious garden wall project at our campus, and each weekend workshop group will complete another section of wall! You will learn about: mixing and applying cob trimming and shaping cob…

Dates: June 11th – June 14th, 2018 Location: Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica   Come and join us in beautiful Costa Rica for our Introduction to Cob Workshop! We will be constructing a small cob cottage. This is a perfect class for both beginners and experts alike! This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with cob and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in cob building fundamentals.…

Kids Cob Camp at Disputanta Cob General Kid’s Cob Camp at Disputanta Cob is an opportunity for younger children to have hands on experience with cob building that is tailored to your child’s individual needs along with other creative activities and play that honors the natural world. Flow of the Day Each day will start with breakfast with, “Kids Cob Camp,” participants (the kids) and, “From the Ground Up with Cob,” participants (the parents) eating together. Kids Cob Camp will…